3 Necessary Qualities of Throwing Knives

Throwing knives constitute a distinct category of knives that, as the name suggests, are intended to be thrown at, and stick in, a target. There is more than one discipline associated with how the knife should be thrown; some knife throwers throw knives so that they rotate, others throw them point-on, but regardless, success with throwing knives starts with the tool itself. 

Here are 3 qualities that pretty much any throwing knife should possess.

Throwing Knives Sport One-Piece Construction

You may have seen it in a movie or a video game, but serious knife throwers do not mess with folding knives. Can a master throw a folding knife? Yes, in some cases, but much of the time you will deal with a broken lock or a broken blade, and even more of the time than that, you will deal with a knife that does not fly consistently and does not stick in the target. 

This is a pretty much universal aspect of quality throwing knives: they are forged from a single piece of steel, and have no moving components. This not only reduces design complexity so there are few opportunities for failure, but improves balance so that the knife flies, and sticks, consistently. 

They’re Forged From the Right Steel Alloy and Properly Heat Treated 

Secondly, not all steel alloys make a suitable choice for throwing knives. For one thing, in most instances there’s just no reason to waste the money on super steels like S90V or M390. Not only are they too expensive, the carbide distribution in some of them (notably the former) is such that the blades are far too brittle to make suitable throwers. 

Good alloys include 1045, 1055, and even 420SS, but it’s also important to note here that it’s not just about the steel itself but about the heat treatment. Throwing knives should be soft enough that when they strike the intended target they do not snap or shatter.

Most knives that are meant to be carried (not thrown), both fixed blades and folders, are heat treated so as to offer decent edge retention, not so much to withstand impact. To a degree they are tempered for toughness, but generally, they are too hard, and therefore too brittle, to withstand use as throwing knives.

They Don’t Have Handle Scales 

Lastly, good throwing knives don’t have handle scales. There are two reasons for this, and the one is more important than the other. 

The lesser of the two reasons is that handle scales are just a piece that could break off of the knife. Just as the knife should sport one-piece construction, it should lack scales as that reduces the scope of design complexity that can result in failure. 

The more important reason is that scales necessarily alter the balance of the knife, and are generally not necessary. A throwing knife need not be comfortable in the hand (which is the primary objective of knife handle scales) but should fly as engineered. Therefore there just is no need for scales on throwers; at best they are simply unnecessary, at worst they can alter the balance of the knife in an undesirable manner that makes them less consistent and inherently less accurate when thrown. 

Where to Learn More About Throwing Knives 

Looking for a place where you can get a quality set of throwing knives at a competitive price? Visit River’s Edge Cutlery. In addition to an expansive catalog of fixed blades and folders, they also carry throwing knife sets. Visit their website for more information or get in touch with them if you need assistance.  

For more information about Shirogorov Knives and Fixed Blade Knives Please visit: River’s Edge Cutlery.